NACUFS Awards
- 1994 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards - Silver Medal -
Catering/ Special Event
Brown Alumni Recognition Dinner - 2001 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards - Gold Medal - Residence Hall Dining- Special Event/Theme Dinner
- 2001 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards - Grand Prize Award -
Residence Hall Dining- Special Event/Theme Dinner
Refectory's 50th Anniversary Dinner - 2004 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards - Gold Medal - Residence
Hall Dining- Special Event/Theme Dinner
Egg Brunch Special - 2004 Brew City Creative Special Event Contest - Grand Prize Winner
- 2006 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards - Bronze Medal - Residence Hall Dining - Special Event/Theme Dinner
Visiting Chef Special – Mediterraneo Ristorante - 2006 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards - Honorable Mention - Residence Hall Dining - Special Event/Theme Dinner
Local Motion – Community Harvest Dinner - 2009 NACUFS - Chef Elizabeth Mersereau - Bronze Medal
"Pan Fried Toasted Pistachio Cornmeal Encrusted Rainbow Trout with Creamy Soft Polenta, Parsnips, and Carrots" - 2011 NACUFS - Chef Sarah Melo - Silver Medal
Sarah Melo, a University Dining Services chef, took the top spot at the National Association of College and University Foodservice (NACUFS) northeast regional culinary competition. The first-time competitor swept the field on March 13 at the regional conference’s culinary challenge held in Syracuse, N.Y., bringing home the competition's sole silver medal, the highest honor awarded at this competition. Competitors were required to follow stringent American Culinary Federation (ACF) guidelines to develop a recipe and to produce four nutritionally balanced plates that include a starch, vegetable, and the chosen protein, which was tri-tip beef. Melo heads to Dallas, Texas, in July to compete at the national level as the representative of the northeast region at the NACUFS national culinary challenge, an ACF sanctioned event in which she will face the top regional chefs of the Continental, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern regions. - 2011 NACUFS Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards - Bronze Medal - Retail Sales - Single Concept
The new Blue Room - 2011 Real Food Pioneer Award
The award recognizes the commitment we made to purchasing local and community-based, fair, ecologically sound or humane food with a significant percent of our food budget.
Green Certification: On Earth Day 2010, Brown Dining was honored by the RI Hospitality Association and RI Department of Environmental Management for our environmental practices for the second year in a row. The Green Certification program is open to restaurants, hospitality and food service groups that meet specific environmental benchmarks in their operations. We renew our Green Certification each year and continue to champion greener dining with new and expanded initiatives.
Brown Dining regularly donates food to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. In 2009, we received their Friend award, "in recognition of your dedicated support through donations of food to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank to help alleviate hunger in our communities."
In April 2006, the Blue Room was recognized by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) with the Golden Cup Award. The award is a testament to the precise brewing standards we bring to every cup of coffee that the Blue Room serves.
Awards for Executive Chef John O'Shea
John began working at Brown Dining Services in October of 1976 as a Food Service worker. He advanced within the department to 2nd Cook in 1981 and to 1st Cook in 1983. John was promoted to Production Manager in 1986 and earned his Certified Working Chef title from the American Culinary Federation in 1988. During his time as Production Manager, John earned First Place in the A.C.F. Novice Ice Carving competition in 1989 and finished Third in the Professional Ice Carving competition in 1990. John was also honored with the “A.C.F. President’s Award” in 1991 and 1993.
In 1995, John earned his Associate Degree in Restaurant and Institutional Management from Johnson and Wales University. During the 1995 North East Regional A.C.F. Conference, John served as the Chef de Cuisine, managing and supervising the production staff of Professionals and Apprentices at the Rhode Island Convention Center and the Westin Hotel. John was also named “A.C.F. Chef of the Year” by his local Rhode Island chapter in 1995.
John O’Shea was promoted to Executive Chef of Brown Dining Services in 1997. His position now includes managing and supervising all production, support and student food service staff. Under John’s direction, Brown University finished third in 2000 and first in 2001 in the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards. Brown University won the Loyal E. Horton Grand Prize for Residence Hall Dining – Special Event / Theme Dinner in 2001.
In March 2002 John won a silver medal at the NACUFS Northeast regional conference held in Portland, Maine. John went on to represent the Northeast region at the national conference July 2002 held in Orlando, Florida in which he won a bronze medal. In March 2004 John won a gold medal at the NACUFS Northeast regional conference.
In 2004 John received his certification as an Executive Chef through the A.C.F., respresenting over 20 years of A.C.F. membership and his mastery of the culinary arts.